Squaring equipment for folded box blanks



June 13, 1967 J. LQPEZ SQUARING EQUIPMENT FOR FOLDED BOX BLANKS 3 Sheeis-Sheet 1 Filed April 17, 1964 INVENTOR. JOb A 4apz J. LOFEZ June 13, 15355? SQUARING EQUIPMENT FOR FOLDED BOX BLANKS 3 Sheds-Sheet 2 Filed April 17, 1964 INVENTOR. JOH/V 40 52 June 13, 1967 J, LOPEZ 3,324,773

SQUARING EQUIPMENT FOR FOLDED BOX BLANKS Filed April 17, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 41 l 6 52 76 64 59) 55 ifi JOlV/l/ 4 O AI'Z United States Patent 3,324,773 SQUARING EQUIPMENT FGR FOLDED BOX BLANKS John Lopez, Westfield, N.J., assignor to Universal Corrugated Box Machinery Corporation, Linden, N..i., a

corporation of New Jersey Filed Apr. 17, 1964, Ser. No. 360,618 Claims. (Cl. 9336) This invention relates to the art of squaring equipment for folded boxes of the type that comprises four panels in side by side relation that have been pre-scored to facilitate folding of the two outer panels into substantially edge to edge juxtaposition.

As conducive to an understanding of the invention, it it noted that during the normal automatic folding by belt folders of corrugated box blanks of the type shown in Patent No. 3,122,069, since the folding belts of the folder are spiralled 180 degrees to effect corresponding pro gressive folding of the outer panels of the blanks, the outer panels will be in the spiral portion of the folding belts While the other panels will be advanced by the horizontal conveyer associated with the folding belts.

Since the outer panels will take a longer time to reach the outlet of the folding equipment than the other panels moved by the horizontal conveyer, due to the delay irnparted by the spiral portion of the folding belts, it is apparent that the outer panels may not be aligned with the other panels.

As a result of such lack of alignment, the resultant box will not be square and hence cannot be opened properly for filling, without breaking of the corners of the box so that such improperly formed box must be discarded with resultant waste.

Furthermore, where the folded box blanks are opened by automatic equipment, if they are not truly square, such automatic equipment will not function properly.

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide a squaring equipment which will dependably advance folded box blanks in sequence at a relatively hi h rate of speed and will automatically align the panels of the folded box blank, thereby providing a folded box that is square and which may be opened without breakage of the corners thereof.

According to the invention, a conveyer is provided which successively advances folded box blanks in sequence and means are provided as the banks are advanced to move either or both of the folded over top panels of successive folded box blanks relative to each other and to the bottom panels to effect squaring of such box blank.

More particularly, the conveyor comprises a bottom conveyer belt and a pair of spaced parallel upper conveyer belts, the latter being aligned with the top folded over panels of the box blank. The speed of the upper conveyer belts is adjustable so that the speed of either of the folded over top panels may be increased or decreased with respect to the other top panel and with respect to the bottom panels which rest on the lower conveyer belt.

in one specific embodiment of the invention an ali i ment bar is provided at the outlet end of the conveyer, against which the leading edge of the folded box blank will be forced by the movement of the conveyer, such alignment bar moving out of the path of such box blank after it has been squared.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the squaring equipment with parts broken away,

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the outlet end of the squaring equipment,

"ice

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the box blanks in various positions,

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary detail side elevational view on an enlarged scale of the belt speed adjusting mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings, the squaring equipment comprises a frame 19 supported in substantially horizontal position by upright standards 11. The frame 10 includes a pair of side plates 12 and transverse shafts 13, 14 are rotatably mounted at each end thereof respectively,

each of said shafts carrying a roller 15 around which rides an endless conveyer belt 16 having its upper run 17 in substantially a horizontal plane, the latter being supported by a suitable rigid plate 17 mounted between side plates 12.

Positioned adjacent the outlet end 18 of the conveyer belt 16 (FIG. 2) is a transverse shaft 21 rotataby mounted in brackets 22 secured to and extending longitudinally from the adjacent ends of the side plates 12 of the frame.

Secured to shaft 21 is an elongated sleeve 23 from which extends a flange 24 which defines an alignment or stop bar that extends transversely across the outlet end of the conveyor belt 16.

Means are provided normally to retain the stop bar 24 in upright position in the path of movement of a folded box blank B, carried by the conveyer belt 16.

To this end, an elongated substantially rectangular block 25 having rounded ends is secured to one end of shaft 21. Riding around the top surface of the block 25 and depending from each end thereof is a strap 26, one end of which is secured to the bracket 22 and the other end to one end of a coil spring 26 which has its other end secured to a fixed support.

Secured to the end of shaft 21 protruding from block 25 is one end of a lever 27, the other end of which has a coil spring 28 secured thereto. The tension of spring 28 may be adjusted by rotating a screw 29 threaded through a fixed bracket 31, the end of the screw having a rotatable cap 32 to which the spring is secured.

The strap 26 which coacts with block 25 serves to limit rotary movement of shaft 21 in a clockwise direction under the urging of spring 28 so that the stop bar will be restored to the vertical position shown, yet permits rotation of the stop bar 24 in a counterclockwise direction when a box blank B abuts thereagainst in the manner hereinafter described.

Positioned over the conveyer belt 16 is an upper mount 35 which comprises a pair of elongated side plates 36, 37 retained in spaced parallel relation by transverse struts 33, 39.

The rear ends of side plates 36, 37 (FIG. 1) have rearwardly extending arms 41 between which extends a transverse shaft 42, the ends of which are rotatably mounted in fixed brackets 43 pivotally to mount the upper mount 35 so that it may be moved clear of the conveyer belt 16 to provide access thereto.

Although the upper mount may be moved in any suitable manner, in the illustrative embodiment shown, an air cylinder 45 is provided having one end pivoted as at 46 to a fixed support and the free end of its piston rod 47 pivoted to a bar 48 extending transversely between the side plates 36, 37.

Depending from each of the struts 38, 39 respectively are bearing plates 51, 52 which rise from a reinforcing strip extending longitudinally between said struts. Each of the bearing plates has a bearing opening 53 (FIG. 5) therein which supports the associated inner ends 60 of an axially aligned pair of shafts 54, 55 which extend transversely outward in opposed directions. The outer ends 60 of said shafts extend through bearing openings 56 in the side plates 36, 37 as shown in FIG. 5, each of said shaft ends mounting a worm gear 57 engaged by a worm 58.

As is clearly shown in FIG. 5, each of the shafts 53, 54 has a body portion 59 between its ends of enlarged diameter and eccentrically mounted with respect to the ends 60, 60 of said shafts 54, 55 which are mounted in 'said bearing openings 53, 57. The body portion 59 at each of its ends inwardly of the bearing plates 51, 52 and side plates 36, 37 is of enlarged diameter as at 61 and eachenlarged diameter portion 61 has an inner bearing race in the form of a sleeve 62 secured thereto as by set screw 63.

Encompassing each of the shafts 53, 54 is a pulley 64 in the form of a cylindrical sleeve. The inner surface of each end of the bore of each pulley defines an outer bearing race 65 for ball bearings 66 so that each pulley is freely rotatable on its associated shaft, the outer ends of each pulley having V-grooves 67 therein.

The worms 58 on each side of the upper mount are secured to a worm shaft 68 rotatably supported by brackets 69. Each of the shafts 68 carries a sprocket wheel 71 connected by a sprocket chain 72 so that when one of the worm shafts 68 is rotated by a reversible ratchet arm 73, the other worm shaft will rotate a corresponding amount.

Riding around the pulleys 64 on shafts 53-, 54 respectively are upper conveyer belts 75, 76. As is shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, means are provided to maintain tension on the belts 75, 76. i

To this end a pair of hell crank levers 77 are provided, straddling a roller 78 and pivoted on a shaft 79 extending transversely between side plates 36, 37, said shaft rotatably mounts said roller. The free ends of the legs 81 of the bell cranks carry a shaft 82 which rotatably mounts rollers 83, the roller 83 being maintained under tension by means of coil springs 83 secured at one end to the free ends of legs 85 of the bell crank and at their other end to an adjustment screw 86 threaded through an angle bar 87 extending transversely between the side plates 36, 37.

The conveyer belts 75, 76 ride around the associated pulleys 64 at each end of the squaring equipment, under the roller 78 and over the spring urged rollers 83, the latter thus maintaining the belts 75, 76 under tension.

Means are provided to drive the conveyer belts 16, 75, 76 and to vary the speed of said conveyer belts 75, 76 with respect to each other and to the speed of conveyer belt 16.

To this end, as shown in FIG. 1, the shaft 42 has a sprocket wheel 91 secured to one end thereof protruding beyond the arm 41 of plate 37. The end of shaft 14 protruding beyond the associated side plate 12 (FIGS. 1, also has a sprocket wheen 92 secured thereto. Riding around said sprocket wheels 91, 92 is a sprocket chain 93 which also rides around an idler sprocket wheel 94 and a drive sprocket wheel 95.

The drive sprocket wheel 95 is mounted at one end of a shaft 96, the other end of which has a bevel gear 97 which is driven by a complementary bevel gear 98 that is in turn driven by a conventional transmission from a motor M.

Also mounted on shaft 42 are sprocket wheels 99, 101 which are driven by shaft 42 due to the rotation thereof by sprocket wheel 91.

The sprocket wheels 99, 101 through suitable transmissions drive variable speed drive units 102, 103 (FIG. 1 and FIG. 6).

Each drive unit 102, 103 comprises a U-shaped mount 104, the spaced parallel legs of which define a bearing support for a shaft 105. Secured to the undersurface of the cross piece of each mount 104 at the front and rear edges thereof are angle bars 106, the depending legs of which are parallel to each other and have aligned openings 107 through which guide rods 108 extend.

The guide rods 108 are secured to the vertical legs of a pair of spaced parallel L-beams 109 which extend transversely across the frame, over the horizontal lower runs 111 of conveyer belts 75, 76 as is clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. The L-beams are desirably secured at their ends to mounting flanges 112 formed at the upper edge of a cutout 113 in side plates 36, 37.

The pulley units 102, 103 are movably mounted on each side of the upper mount 35 with the shafts thereof extending transversely inwardly.

As shown in FIG. 1, each of the shafts 105 of each pulley unit 102, 103 mounts a sprocket wheel 114 secured to the associated shaft and conventional spring urged adjustable V-pulleys 115 are mounted at the inner ends of shafts 105.

The V-pulleys 115 are "connected by V-belts 116 to the associated pulleys 64 which carry the upper belts 75, 76.

Each of the sprocket wheels 114 on shafts 105 is driven by a sprocket chain 116' which rides over idler sprocket wheel 117 mounted on the inner end of the associated side plates 36, 37 then passes around the associated sprocket wheels 99, 101 secured to shaft 42 then around idler takeup sprocket wheel 118 mounted at the free end of a lever 119 pivoted as at 121 to the associated side plate, a coil spring 122 connected between the free end of the lever and the associated side plate mounting the sprocket chain 116 under tension.

Means are provided to change the rate of speed of the pulleys 64 carrying the conveyer belts 75, 76.

To this end, a reversible motor M is mounted on each of the side plates 36, 37 and is connected by a suitable coupling 125 to a screw 126 which extends through an opening in L-beam 109 into a threaded opening in the L- beam 107 secured to the cross piece of each mount 104.

Thus, upon rotation of the screws 126 in the desired direction, the pulley units 102, 103 can be individually moved forward or backward as desired thereby exterting more or less tension on the V-belts 116 of the pulley unit that is moved.

When the tension on the V-belts 116 is increased in conventional manner, the associated V-pulleys 115 will move apart so that the driving circumference thereof will be reduced, thereby reducing the speed of rotation of the associated conveyer belt pulley 64 with respect to th speed of the shaft 105.

To set up the equipment for operation, with the upper mount 35 in its lowered position, the shaft 68 is rotated by ratchet arm 73 to rotate shafts 54, 55 causing the eccentrically mounted body portion 59 thereof to be raised or lowered thereby to adjust the spacing between the lower conveyer belt 16 and the upper conveyer belts 75, 76.

Assuming that the pulley units 102, 103 are in position such that the speed of movement of the conveyer belt 16 and upper conveyer belts 75, 76 is the same, the folded box blanks are successively fed into the inlet 131 (FIG. 1) of the squaring equipment such as by being discharged from an automatic belt folder of the type described in Patent No. 3,122,069 so that the gap G between the folded flaps P1P2 thereof extends longitudinally of the direction of movement of the conveyer belts.

Assuming that, due to the folding action, the run of box blanks that are being fed in rapid sequence to the squaring equipment have the leading edge of one of the folded panels P1 in advance of the leading edge of the other panel P2 and the bottom panels P, as shown in FIG. 4A.

In such case in order to insure that the box blanks of this run will be square when they are taped, it is necessary to align the leading edges of panels P1 and P2 with the bottom panels P.

To this end, the motor M of pulley unit 102 is energize so as to cause the unit 102 to move away from the as sociated pulley 64 of belt 75. As a result, the speed of said pulley 64 and the conveyer belt 75 will be reduced with respect to the speed of conveyer belts 76 and 16. Hence, as the box blank is advanced the panel P1 will not move as fast as panels P2 and P and consequently the leading edges of all panels will move into alignment. Depending upon the adjustment of the pulley unit 102, this can be set to occur when the box blank enters the nip 133 of the conveyer belts C of the taping equipment T shown in FIG. 2 at which time thetrailing edge of the box blank will have been discharged from the outlet 18 of the squaring equipment.

"In the preferred embodiment shown, to insure that such squaring action will occur, the alignment bar 24v is provided-Thus, due to the forward movement imparted to the box blank by the conveyer belts, the leading edge thereof will abut against the alignment bar 24 which will momentarily stop the forward movement of said box blank so that the upper conveyer belts may move the panels P1, P2 into alignment. Thereupon, the continued forward movement of the belts will cause the bar 24 to be pivoted in a counterclockwise direction against the tension of coil springs 28 out of the path of movement of the box blank.

The box blank will be advanced until its leading edge is between the conveyer belts C of the taping machine T and when the trailing edge of the squared blank moves past the bar 24, the spring 28 will quickly pivot the bar to the vertical position shown, the strap 26 limiting such movement of the bar.

With the equipment above described, it is apparent that either of the top panels can be made to move at a slower rate of speed than the other panels such as is required when the box blanks are out of square as shown in FIG. 4A and 4B, or both of the top panels can be made to move faster than the bottom panel P as required when the box blanks are out of square as shown in FIG. 4C for example.

The squaring equipment above described can handle runs of box blanks successively fed into the inlet 131 thereof at a relatively high rate of speed and dependably move the panels thereof into alignment for subsequent processmg.

As many changes could be made in the above equipment, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Equipment for squaring the panels of a folded box blank comprising a conveyer having an inlet and an outlet, said conveyer being adapted successively to advance folded box blanks with the gap between the folded top panels of the blank extending longitudinally of the direction of movement of the box blank by the conveyer, said conveyer having upper and lower movable means adapted to engage the top and bottom surfaces of the folded box blank, to advance the latter from the inlet through said outlet, said upper movable means comprising a pair of spaced parallel endless conveyer belts each having a lower horizontal run extending substantially parallel to the lower movable means, a pair of longitudinally spaced pulley assemblies each comprising a pair of transversely aligned pulleys, each of said belts riding around an associated longitudinally aligned pair of said pulleys, means mounting each of said pulleys for independent rotation with respect to the other pulleys, drive means to effect rotation of each of the pulleys of one of said transversely aligned pair of pulleys and means to vary the speed of rotation of one of the pulleys of said aligned pair independently of the other pulley whereby the speed of one of the upper conveyer belts must be adjusted with respect to the speed of the other upper conveyer belt and the lower movable means.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which means are provided to adjust the spacing between the horizontal runs of said upper conveyer belts and the lower movable means.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which means are provided to maintain tension on the upper conveyer belts.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which a pair of spaced parallel bell crank levers are provided, a roller is rotatably mounted between said levers at the junction of the legs thereof and extends transversely across and over the upper runs of said upper conveyer belts, a second roller is rotatably mounted between the free'ends of one of the legs of each lever and extends transversely across and beneath the upper runs of said upper conveyer belts and resilient means reacting against the' free ends of the other legs of said levers pivots the latter in direction to urge upwardly the roller beneath the upper runs of said conveyer belts to exert tension thereon.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which a pivotally mounted alignment bar is positioned at the outlet end of the conveyer and extends transversely thereacross and means are provided resiliently retaining said bar in the path of movement of the box blank, whereby when the leading edge of the box blank abuts against said box the latter will be pivoted out of the path of movement of the leading edge of the box blank for discharge from the outlet.

6. Equipment for squaring the panels of a folded box blank comprising a conveyer having an inlet and an outlet, said conveyer being adapted successively to advance folded box blanks with the gap between the folded top panels of the blank extending longitudinally of the direction of movement of the box blank by the conveyer, said conveyer having upper and lower movable means adapted to engage the top and bottom surfaces of the folded box blank, to advance the latter from the inlet through said outlet, said upper movable means comprising a pair of spaced parallel endless conveyer belts each having a lower horizontal run extending substantially parallel to the lower movable means, a pair of longitudinally spaced pulley assemblies each comprising a pair of transversely aligned pulleys, each of said belts riding around an associated longitudinally aligned pair of said pulleys, means mounting each of said pulleys for independent rotation with respect to the other pulleys, a pair of drive units associated respectively with the pulleys of one of said pair of transversely aligned pair of pulleys each of said drive units having a drive pulley, an endless belt operatively connecting each of said drive pulleys to an associated pulley of said pair of transversely aligned pair of pulleys, means to rotate said drive pulleys at the same rate of speed and means to vary the circumferential length of each of the drive pulleys engaged by the associated belt, to vary the speed of rotation of the associated conveyer belt pulley whereby the speed of one of the upper conveyer belts may be adjusted with respect to the speed of the other upper conveyer belt and the lower movable means.

7. The combination set forth in claim 6 in which each of said pulley assemblies comprises a shaft, having end portions and a central cylindrical portion eccentrically mounted with respect to the end portions thereof, the pulleys of each pulley assembly comprises a sleeve rotatably mounted on the central portion of the associated shaft means to rotate the shafts of said pulley assemblies in unison thereby to raise and lower the rotatable sleeve to adjust the spacing between the horizontal runs of said upper conveyer belts and the lower movable means.

8. The combination set forth in claim 6 in which each of said drive units comprises a mount, means mounting each of said mounts for independent movement longitudinally of said conveyer belts, each of said mounts having a shaft extending transversely with respect to said conveyer belts, a sprocket wheel on each of said shafts, a

drive motor, means operatively connecting said drive motor to said sprocket wheels to rotate said shafts, eachof said drive pulleys comprising a spring urged V-pulley mounted on each shaft, whereby when the mount is moved longitudinally toward and away from the associated conveyer pulley, the circumferential length of the associated V-pulley will be increased and decreased respectively.

9. The combination set forth in claim 6 in which each of said drive units comprises a mount, means mounting each of said mounts for independent movement longitudinally of said conveyer belts, each of said mounts having a shaft extending transversely with respect to said conveyer belts, each of said drive pulleys comprising a spring urged V-pulley mounted on each shaft, whereby when the mount is moved longitudinally toward and away from the associated conveyer pulley the circumferential length of the associated V-pulley will be increased and decreased respectively. I

10. The combination set forth in claim 9 in which each of said mounts is slidably mounted, a reversible m0- tor is associated with each mount, and a screw driven by each motor is operatively connected to the associated mount to effect movement thereof upon rotation of the associated motor.

References Cited 2,976,780 3/1961 Lopez et al. 93-56 BERNARD STICKNEY, Primary Examiner. i 

1. EQUIPMENT FOR SQUARING THE PANELS OF A FOLDED BOX BLANK COMPRISING A CONVEYER HAVING AN INLET AND AN OUTLET, SAID CONVEYER BEING ADAPTED SUCCESSIVELY TO ADVANCE FOLDED BOX BLANKS WITH THE GAP BETWEEN THE FOLDED TOP PANELS OF THE BLANK EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF THE BOX BLANK BY THE CONVEYER, SAID CONVEYER HAVING UPPER AND LOWER MOVABLE MEANS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE TOP AND BOTTOM SURFACES OF THE FOLDED BOX BLANK, TO ADVANCE THE LATTER FROM THE INLET THROUGH SAID OUTLET, SAID UPPER MOVABLE MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED PARALLEL ENDLESS CONVEYER BELTS EACH HAVING A LOWER HORIZONTAL RUN EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE LOWER MOVABLE MEANS, A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED PULLEY ASSEMBLIES EACH COMPRISING A PAIR OF TRANSVERSELY ALIGNED PULLEYS, EACH OF SAID BELTS RIDING AROUND AN ASSOCIATED LONGITUDINALLY ALIGNED PAIR OF SAID PULLEYS, MEANS MOUNTING EACH OF SAID PULLEYS FOR INDEPENDENT ROTATION WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER PULLEYS, DRIVE MEANS TO EFFECT ROTATION OF EACH OF THE PULLEYS OF ONE OF SAID TRANSVERSELY ALIGNED PAIR OF PULLEYS AND MEANS TO VARY THE SPEED OF ROTATION OF ONE OF THE PULLEYS OF SAID ALIGNED PAIR INDEPENDENTLY OF THE OTHER PULLEY WHEREBY THE SPEED OF ONE OF THE UPPER CONVEYER BELTS MUST BE ADJUSTED WITH RESPECT TO THE SPEED OF THE OTHER UPPER CONVEYER BELT AND THE LOWER MOVABLE MEANS. 